Lipitor/Type 2 Diabetes

Have you been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes after taking the Lipitor?

If so, you may be entitled to compensation as part of the emerging national legal action against Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that manufacturers this drug.

This is a serious concern, and with numerous lawsuits already filed in courts throughout the U.S., the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation now has ordered that all Federal Lipitor diabetes lawsuits be consolidated under the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina (MDL 2502). This is an indication there will be a significant volume of litigation to address this issue.

Attorneys with The West Law Firm are now evaluating cases and potential claims for individuals who have developed Type 2 diabetes after taking Lipitor.

Lipitor and Type 2 Diabetes

Lipitor

Lipitor is brand name for the statin drug atorvastatin, which is prescribed for high cholesterol and for reducing the risk of heart disease. Since it was introduced in 1996, Lipitor has become one of the most widely used and profitable of all prescription medications. At its peak in 2006, Lipitor amassed an estimated $13 billion in worldwide sales for Pfizer. According to current product literature, Lipitor has been prescribed to an estimated 29 million people in the U.S.

But a number of independent medical studies have now demonstrated a link between the long-term use of statin medications like Lipitor and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, especially among women. In one study -- published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, in January 2012 -- researchers found that post-menopausal women (between 50-79 years of age) who took statins, like Lipitor, faced a 48 percent greater likelihood of developing diabetes. Similar studies on the link between stains and Type 2 diabetes were published in the Lancet, the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Atherosclerosis.

Based on such concerns, in February 2012, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that Pfizer -- and other statin manufacturers -- add new warnings to their product labels regarding the potential risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, accounts for 90-95 percent of the estimated 25.8 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease in which there is a high level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. With this condition, the body resists the effects of insulin, the hormone that regulates the proper glucose level in the blood stream. Left untreated, Type 2 diabetes can be life threatening.

If you have taken Lipitor and now have Type 2 diabetes

You should, of course, consult your doctor about your condition and continued use of Lipitor. As a result of your condition, you may have a claim against the manufacturer of this product.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes after taking Lipitor, the time to act is now.

Help is available from attorneys with The West Law Firm. Our trail lawyers have the expertise and long-term experience in managing national class-action law suits for dangerous and defective drugs and other pharmaceutical litigation.

We will provide you with a prompt personal assessment of your case and your legal rights at no cost and if we litigate on your behalf, there is no cost unless we win.

At The West Law Firm, located in Shawnee, we serve personal injury clients in the Oklahoma City area and throughout the state, including Tecumseh, Bethel Acres, Maud, McLoud, Edmond, Midwest City, Del City, Bethany, Choctaw, Warr Acres, The Village, Norman, Moore, Chandler and the surrounding areas of Oklahoma County, Pottawatomie County, Lincoln County and Cleveland County. We are also nationally recognized class action litigation leaders.